


Countdown of A Lifetime

by The_Clock_Strikes_Twilight



Series: 'Tis the Season [6]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Blind Date, Drinking, Holiday Series, Love Confessions, M/M, New Year's Eve, New Year's Fluff, New Years, Pining, Tumblr Prompt, everyone is of age in this fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:42:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22051246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Clock_Strikes_Twilight/pseuds/The_Clock_Strikes_Twilight
Summary: “I think we should…talk,” Isa says. Lea quirks that eyebrow again and he tries not to roll his eyes at him. Again. “You know exactly what about.”Now Lea sighs. “Isa, no—”“Why not?”“We agreed we wouldn’t bring this up again.”“I understand that, but—”“But what?” Another sigh. “It was a stupid mistake and never should’ve happened. What more could there possibly be to talk about?”“What if we dismissed it too soon?” His voice is low. Soft. This is a sensitive subject for them both. Risky. And Isa does understand that, but it’s been eating away at him for a month now and he can’t take it any longer. “I’m just thinking…maybe we should revisit the idea.”Lea only shakes his head. “It could ruin our friendship.”“It could also enhance it.”
Relationships: Isa & Lea (Kingdom Hearts), Isa/Lea (Kingdom Hearts)
Series: 'Tis the Season [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1563262
Comments: 1
Kudos: 21





	Countdown of A Lifetime

**Author's Note:**

> Ending the year (and the decade) with the official halfway point of this series x3
> 
> Cheers to the New Year!! Hope everyone has a great one <3

December 31st, 2019.

Isa stares at the date on the calendar while sitting at the table, full cup of coffee in hand. A cup not even sipped from. He had had every intention, of course, to drink this freshly brewed coffee, but as soon as he noticed the date, he froze. Time stopped. Now he can’t focus on anything else. Nothing except the fact that it’s been exactly a month since…the _incident_. An incident that had been spoken of once, and then put to bed. Not up for further discussion. That was the agreement. The mutual agreement. Hmm.

It’d be a lot easier to get over if he wasn’t still so caught up on it.

“Morning, buddy,” Lea says as he enters the kitchen. He stops dead in his tracks, though, when he notices Isa’s blank stare. He follows it to the calendar. “Something wrong?”

Isa shakes his head. Somehow. He still feels frozen in time. “No, of course not.” He forces a smile. “Good morning.”

Lea quirks an eyebrow but doesn’t pursue the topic. He pours himself a cup of coffee and leans against the countertop. “So, do ya know the plan for tonight?”

He grabs the morning paper and starts flipping through it. Something else that had been a part of his original plan for the morning before getting distracted. “Enlighten me.”

“Kairi and Naminé are meeting us here. From there, we’ll pick up Riku and Sora. Roxas, Xion, and Ven are getting a ride from Terra and Aqua. Demyx and Ienzo will be coming on their own. Then we’re all gonna meet up at—”

“Hold on,” Isa speaks up, raising a hand. He’s not sure why, but his brain is having quite the difficult time processing all this information. Names he hears every single day, but, all of a sudden, they sound so foreign to him. “What’s going on tonight?”

Lea lets out a little laugh. “Uhm…weren’t you staring down the calendar when I just walked in?”

“And?”

“And…ya didn’t notice the date? C’mon, man, it’s New Year’s Eve.”

Isa’s eyes widen for a brief moment before he sighs. “Right. How could I forget?”

He eyes Isa over his coffee cup as he takes a sip. “Ya sure you’re feeling all right?”

“I’m fine.” He folds the newspaper back up and pushes it aside. “So, where is it we’re all meeting up at?”

Lea is still staring Isa down. Waiting him out. Isa won’t cave. Not this time. And when Lea realises this, he takes a deep breath. “Riku’s boss has given us permission to use their lot for the night. It’s easy walking distance from the city centre. Only two or three blocks. Four max.”

“Great. Sounds perfect.” He gets to his feet to freshen up his now cold coffee. Lea shifts his weight from one foot to the other and back again. It’s subtle, but Isa has learned well how to pick up on those subtleties. “Yes?”

“Well—” Lea swallows hard. “Demyx and Ienzo are bringing dates with them…for you and me.”

Isa sets his mug down as he hears that phrase echoing in his mind. “Excuse me?”

He stands his ground. “I asked Demyx to find dates for us.”

“You…asked him to do this?” Isa’s having a hard time catching his breath, all of a sudden. But the thought of Lea actually asking—It almost breaks his heart. “Why?”

He shrugs his shoulders. “Because I figured it’s time for us to get back out there, y’know? I mean, when was the last time either of us had a date? And I knew you’d object, so—”

“So, you decided to just go over my head and told Demyx to do it anyway?” He scoffs. “Unbelievable.”

“C’mon, just give the blind date a chance,” Lea says. Isa rolls his eyes and places his still full mug in the sink before turning to walk away. “What’s the big deal?”

He stops dead in his tracks. _What’s the big deal_? That’s an excellent question, really. After all, this shouldn’t be such a big deal. It is, though. So, Isa takes a deep breath. His turn to stand his ground.

“I think we should…talk,” Isa says. Lea quirks that eyebrow again and he tries not to roll his eyes at him. Again. “You know exactly what about.”

Now Lea sighs. “Isa, no—”

“Why not?”

“We agreed we wouldn’t bring this up again.”

“I understand that, but—”

“But what?” Another sigh. “It was a stupid mistake and never should’ve happened. What more could there possibly be to talk about?”

“What if we dismissed it too soon?” His voice is low. Soft. This is a sensitive subject for them both. Risky. And Isa does understand that, but it’s been eating away at him for a month now and he can’t take it any longer. “I’m just thinking…maybe we should revisit the idea.”

Lea only shakes his head. “It could ruin our friendship.”

“It could also enhance it.”

There’s a quiver to Lea’s bottom lip. It happens typically when he’s anxious or upset. Isa wants to kiss it away. A month ago, he wouldn’t have been able to admit that, but now… He finally knows what he wants. And it kills him that Lea doesn’t seem to want the same thing. He doesn’t want him, too.

Lea cocks his head to the side. “Like I said, just give the blind date a chance.” He sets his mug down and grabs his jacket from the back of one of the kitchen chairs. “I have to go grab a few things for tonight. I’ll be back later.” And he takes his leave.

Rather than watching him go, Isa opts for watching the floor. Once he hears the front door open and close again, he lifts his head. He lets out a heavy sigh and steps up to the counter. Lea barely drank any of coffee, either. Hmm. Isa knew bringing it up could lead to some sort of argument, but he couldn’t help it. He looks back at the calendar. Exactly one month since the _incident_. Since he and Lea got drunk and ended up sleeping together. Tch. Lea thinks pursuing a relationship would ruin their friendship, but their friendship was effectively ruined that night. They spoke of it the following evening and decided to just move past it. They decided they would act as if it never happened. They decided that was for the best. And everything went back to normal. For the first few days, at least. The more Isa thought about it, though, the more he realised that that night had happened for a reason. That night should’ve been the moment both he and Lea came to the conclusion that they’re meant to be together. That they’re meant for each other. Instead, it seems only Isa has been enlightened. Instead, Lea is having Demyx set up blind dates for them. _It’s time for us to get back out there_. No. There’s a reason Isa has stopped dating. And that reason lives with him. That reason grew up with him. That reason has flaming red hair and eyes as green as emeralds. That reason is the most infuriating person in the entire world, but _holy shit_ , Isa doesn’t know what he would do without him.

He’s in love with Lea, and there’s no denying it.

For now, Isa will let it go. Maybe tonight’s blind dates will enlighten Lea, as well. Maybe the new year will bring a new relationship. He can only hope, but damn it, he will. Hell, they’ve wasted enough years already; he won’t waste another.

There isn’t much conversation in the apartment until Kairi and Naminé arrive. It’s just about 9:30p at this point. Two and half hours until the new year. Half hour until Isa meets his blind date for the evening. Ugh. He hopes more than anything that this person doesn’t expect to share a kiss with him after the countdown.

“Are you ready yet, Lea?” Kairi asks from the living room. “I mean, seriously, you take longer than Xion, Naminé, and me put together.”

“Hey,” he says as he walks out of his bedroom, “this,” he gestures to himself, “takes a lot of work.”

“At least you admit it,” Isa says. He pauses when he catches Lea glare. “Oh, I’m sorry, did I say that out loud?”

Naminé glances back and forth between the two with raised brows. “No.” She shakes her head. “You are _not_ allowed to be fighting tonight.”

“We’re not—” Isa and Lea begin in unison, their voices raised, before stopping to glance at each other and sigh.

“—fighting,” Lea finishes, his voice more a mumble now.

“You better not be,” Kairi says. “Tonight is a clean slate. So, you better leave all your petty arguments behind.”

Lea nods. “Wow. Harsh.”

“Sometimes you two need that,” Naminé goes on. “Can we get going now?”

Isa practically jumps to his feet. “Please.”

Isa drives them to Riku and Sora’s place to pick them up. He prefers driving since it keeps his mind occupied. And right now, he needs to keep his mind occupied—needs to keep his thoughts at bay—more than anything. He can’t spend the entire night going over the _what if’s_ of his and Lea’s hypothetical relationship. As much as he wants to come up with the consequences to make him believe a relationship would be a terrible idea, he can’t. Like Kairi said, tonight is supposed to be about a fresh start. Hmm.

He just wishes he could have a fresh start with Lea.

They’re second to arrive at the designated parking lot. Roxas, Xion, Ventus, Terra, and Aqua are already there. Sora jumps out of the car and rushes to greet Roxas and Ventus first. The girls all greet each other, while Lea and Riku greet Terra. Isa leans against the car and waits. He knows he shouldn’t. He should join the others. He should be happy. He can’t bring himself to be in a very festive mood, though. Lea, of course, takes notice of this.

“Y’know, ya have a great poker face,” Lea starts, joining him by the car, “but physically keeping your distance is a pretty good giveaway that you’re in a bad mood.”

Isa can’t help but chuckle. He and Lea truly do know each other better than anyone else. Just another reason they’d be perfect together. “Got a lot on my mind,” Isa speaks up. He learned years ago that he’s better off being upfront with the redhead. There’s no beating around the bush when he can see right through it anyhow. “You’ve already made it clear that you prefer not to discuss it.”

Lea lets out a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry, I just…” He pauses, thinking. “Okay. Fine. Let’s get through tonight. Let’s get through these blind dates. If we don’t connect with them, then we’ll talk once we get home. I promise.”

Isa’s almost taken aback by this. He takes it as a good sign. “Really?”

“If it’s that important to you.”

He nods his head once. “Okay.”

“Okay. So now you gotta at least try to enjoy the rest of the night.”

He rolls his eyes, chuckling. “Fine.”

Lea glares at him, but there’s no real heat behind it. “Now you’re just mocking me.”

They join the others just as Demyx and Ienzo arrive. Isa’s stomach drops at the sight of their car. At the four silhouettes sitting inside. Damn it. He needs to at least try. Despite how much he doesn’t want, he needs to. He owes Lea that much. That little. He owes Lea everything.

Demyx gets out of the car first. He opens the back door to let the blind dates out. A young woman steps out while a young man appears from the other side along with Ienzo. The churning in Isa’s stomach intensifies. There’s a hand on his shoulder and he looks to see Lea smiling at him reassuringly. He relaxes instantaneously. He may not be out on a date with Lea, but at least Lea is still right there. For tonight, that’s good enough.

“The men of the hour,” Demyx greets them. “Lea, this is Mona,” he gestures to the young woman, “and Isa,” he gestures to the young man, “this is Cyrus.” He then grins. “This, uh, should make for an interesting night.”

Isa means to ask what will be so interesting, but Lea is already wrapping an arm around Mona’s shoulders and he loses his track of thought. His peace of mind. The group starts the walk to the city square, Isa and his own _date_ already falling behind because Isa is too busy watching Lea walk away.

“You okay?” Cyrus speaks up.

Isa shakes his head, reality crashing down on him. “Y-yeah. I’m fine. Sorry. Just adjusting to the cold still.”

“Yeah, I hate this time of year. The lights and snow are pretty and all, but man, I’m not a fan of the cold.”

He forces a small chuckle and the two of them head off to catch up with the others. Isa’s hands are stuffed deep in his pockets and he’s watching the ground in front of him as he answers all the questions Cyrus is asking. _What do you do for work? What are your hobbies? What did you go to school for?_ Hell, Isa isn’t exactly experienced when it comes to dating, but even he can tell that these questions are generic. Almost scripted. It just doesn’t feel natural. Hmm. Maybe that’s because he’s too busy trying to eavesdrop of what Lea and Mona are talking about. Lea keeps laughing and it’s driving Isa mad. Tch. Not everything can be that funny.

“How did you end up in this city?” Cyrus then asks.

This question catches Isa off guard. Shit. He hasn’t thought about what brought him here in _years_. “Uhm…honestly, Lea did. We’ve been best friends ever since we were kids. His family wasn’t the closest and he had no desire to live near his parents, so he was always applying for jobs that would give him no choice but to move. Then when he actually got a job opportunity out this way, he was afraid of moving alone. So, I dropped everything and moved with him.”

Cyrus’ eyes widen a bit. “Wow, talk about being a good friend. What about your family, though?”

“Don’t have one. My parents got into a car crash when I was just a baby. Neither of them survived and I came out with this so-called extraordinary scar.” He shrugs his shoulders. “Lea is the closest thing I’ve ever had to a family.”

“I see…”

Isa clears his throat. “What about you? Any family in the area?”

“Nah, my siblings and I all moved away from home. We still talk to our parents, though, and try to get together at least once a year. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to make it this year. The weekend we had planned on ended up being the weekend we got that tropical storm and all flights were cancelled. I might surprise my parents within the next couple weeks, but that all depends on if I have enough money.”

“Well, I hope you can make it home.”

Cyrus smiles. “Thanks.”

That smile doesn’t do anything for Isa. Not like Lea’s. Lea’s smile gets his heart racing. It takes his breath away. Makes him feel like he’s floating. Sure, Cyrus is good-looking and seems like a nice enough guy, but he’s not Lea. Just a shame that Lea seems be enjoying the company of his date.

Demyx leads the group to a couple bars. Everyone has a couple drinks, but Isa passes on all his offers. He’s not interested in drinking tonight. Not when he still can’t stop thinking about what had happened the last time he got wasted. Not when he can’t bring himself to stop watching Lea.

It’s the fifth bar they’ve jumped to when Mona approaches him. Now he could really use a shot.

“Not drinking?” she calls over the noise of the strangers surrounding them.

“Someone’s gotta make sure no one hurts themselves,” Isa says.

“Good point.” She takes the shot in her hand. “So, Lea tells me you two have been best friends for, like, ever.”

“Yeah, we have been.”

She grins. “Does that mean I’ll have to get your approval?”

“It’s not an easy task.” He’s only joking. Sort of.

“I bet. That’s good, though. Only the best for your best.” She laughs.

He nods. _Only the best_. “Exactly.” Isa would be the best choice for Lea. Just like Lea would be the best for Isa. “Cheers to that.”

“There you two are,” Lea says, joining them at the other end of the bar. He grins. “C’mon, we’re moving to the next bar.”

“Let’s go, then,” Mona says. She takes one more shot and takes her leave.

Isa watches her and the others as they head out, Ventus and Naminé barely keeping their composure. He shakes his head. “Demyx is gonna kill them.”

“He ain’t the one making them drink,” Lea says.

“Perhaps not, but they’re all trying to outdrink him when Demyx can easily drink any one of us under the table.”

He laughs. “You and I ain’t drinking, so—”

“You’re not drinking?”

“Nope.”

“Why not?”

He pauses. “Trying to keep a clear head.” He then takes a quick look around. “By the way, where’s Cyrus at?”

“I don’t know. With the others.”

Now he sighs. “C’mon, Isa…”

“Don’t. I tried, okay? I truly did. I’m sorry I’m not clicking as well with my date as you are with yours.”

His brow furrows. “Tell me the truth, Isa.”

The truth? Tch. Isa can barely distinguish what’s true and what’s not anymore. Especially when it comes to his feelings. Is it all in his head? Or is he truly in love with Lea? Please, who is he kidding? He knows exactly how he feels. And Lea wants him to tell him. He wants the truth. Funny thing is that Lea seems to be the one leaning in closer.

Just then, the bartender sets two shots down in front of them. “Here,” he calls out with a friendly smile. “On the house.”

Isa stares at it for a moment, tempted. “Thanks, but I’ll pass.” And he gets up from the barstool.

“C’mon, will one shot make you lose your mind?” Lea says.

He swallows hard, looking directly into those intense green eyes. “It might.”

With that, he walks away. As soon as he steps outside, he tracks down Cyrus and joins him. Except he seems to have barely noticed that Isa was gone. Not that Isa minds. He’s sure Cyrus isn’t feeling it, either. Oh well. After all, Isa’s never been the type to try and force a connection.

As it nears midnight, the group gathers in the city square. Shit. It’s freezing and Isa really wishes he had more layers on. He should know better by now. They do this every new year and he always manages to somehow underdress. He looks around and can spot the others. Roxas, Xion, Naminé, Kairi, and Ventus are all together. Demyx and Ienzo. Riku and Sora. Aqua and Terra. He’s lost track of Cyrus and Mona, though. And—

“Here,” Lea says out of nowhere. Isa turns and Lea is wrapping his scarf around both of their necks. He then takes Isa’s hands in his own gloved ones. “This should help to warm your hands up.”

Isa is at a loss for words. “Wh-what—? What are you doing?”

“You looked cold.”

That response pisses Isa off. It’s so stupid. What pisses him off even more, though, is the fact that it’s so _Lea_. Nonchalant. _You looked cold_. Sure, but now they’re exceptionally close to each other. Their foreheads are just barely pressed together. Their breath mingling. If they looked up at one another, their noses would most certainly bump together. How can this be okay? It’s not. But Lea seems more comfortable than ever while Isa’s heart is ready to beat out of his chest.

Isa checks his wristwatch to distract himself from how close they are. “The countdown will be starting soon.”

“Should be, yeah.”

“Don’t you want to be with your date?”

Isa’s expecting an eyeroll, but he’s met with a steady gaze. “No. I wanna spend the first few moments of the new year with you.” Lea says this with so much conviction that Isa’s taken aback. “A-actually, I wanna spend the entirety of the new year with you.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means that I’m thinking with a clear head.” _Trying to keep a clear head_. The comment echoes in Isa’s mind, but he doesn’t speak up. “No alcohol to influence any of my words or actions,” Lea goes on. “I’m in control this time.”

“In control of what?”

“Of what happens next.”

The countdown begins. Every single person around them is calling out from the number ten. Isa can’t join in, though. He can’t find his voice. Can’t take his eyes off Lea. But Lea’s watching him, too. Just as intently. They’re close and getting closer still. It’s all Isa can do to remember how to breathe.

_4…3…2…1…_

Their lips meet and it’s like fireworks. Better than fireworks. Brighter. More colourful. Hues of greens and blues and reds. A rush of excitement thrums through Isa as if he’s a child on Christmas morning.

“Happy New Year, Isa,” Lea speaks up once they disconnect.

Isa takes a moment to recompose himself. “I thought you said—”

“I know what I said. I know I said this would be a bad idea, but… I guess I was just scared shitless of letting it happen.”

“Why?”

“I didn’t wanna screw up. Y’know, like—It’s like my thought process was that I’d rather have you in my life as my best friend than not have you in my life at all. So, I figured we’d be okay not taking our relationship to next step so long as that was the case.”

“What changed your mind?”

He smiles softly. “You brought that night up again this morning, so I realised I wasn’t the only one still thinking about it.”

Isa blushes at this and hopes his cheeks are already red enough from the cold to cover up the flushing. “Of course I’m still thinking about it. How was I supposed to just forget it ever happened?”

“Well, that’s what we had agreed on, so I just sorta figured it’s what you did.”

“Then why didn’t you ever bring it up?”

“Believe it or not, Isa, but even I have a hard time reading you sometimes. You’re too good at closing off your emotions.”

“I’m sorry. I suppose that’s because of my own fears, as well.” He drops his gaze. “Fears of being rejected by the only person I’ve ever wanted to be with.”

“You don’t have to be afraid of that.”

Their lips meet again in a kiss much more demanding than the first. This one doesn’t last as long, though, considering the hoots and howls they suddenly get from the others. Hell, Isa almost forgot there are even other people around.

Xion giggles. “Talk about a new year resolution.”

“It’s about time you two confessed to each other,” Roxas says. “We were starting to think we’d have to spell it out for you guys.”

“Shut up, half pint,” Lea says.

Isa chuckles a bit before his eyes suddenly widen. “Cyrus and Mona—”

“Are dating,” Demyx speaks up. “C’mon, you think I was actually gonna set you two up on real dates? Please, I asked them to help make you two jealous tonight.” He shrugs his shoulders. “It half worked.”

Lea’s jaw drops slightly. “You son of a bitch…”

Demyx smirks. “You gotta admit, it was clever.”

“Devious is more like it,” Ienzo says.

From there, it isn’t long before the group starts to disperse. By the time Lea and Isa make it home, it’s close to two o’clock in the morning. Even then, they brew a pot of coffee and sit at their kitchen table.

“I can’t believe Demyx pulled a stunt like this,” Isa says.

Lea half laughs-half scoffs. “I can. It’s totally something he would do. Or attempt, at least. I guess my surprise is more over the fact that he got away with it.”

“Yes, especially since Ienzo hadn’t even seemed to have been aware.”

Lea reaches across the table and takes Isa’s free hand in his own. “I can’t say I was jealous of you and Cyrus but being with Mona tonight definitely didn’t feel right. Talking with her didn’t come as naturally as talking with you does.”

“That’s how I felt with Cyrus. As for you and Mona… Well, you had seemed like you were enjoying yourself, so I was a little jealous.”

The corners of his lips twitch. “When the bartender offered those free shots and you said that taking it might make you lose your mind… What did you mean by that?”

“Ah.” He clears his throat. “I meant that it probably would have only taken a single shot for me to have—” Lea leans forward and captures Isa’s lips in a searing kiss before he can finish. He melts into the kiss, gripping Lea’s hand just a little bit tighter. He’s afraid that if he lets go, he’ll wake up and realise this had all been some crazy dream. When the kiss breaks, though, and he opens his eyes to see green ones staring intently back, he knows this is real. “For me to have done that,” he finishes his thought from before. “After all, I had been on edge for most of the day.”

He smiles. “It’s too bad we didn’t do this a year ago. Feels like we have so much time to make up for now.”

“We have plenty of time.”

Lea leans in for another kiss and Isa welcomes it. They could spend the rest of the night kissing and it wouldn’t be enough. They do have plenty of time, though. Time to kiss. Time to drink. Time to move to the couch. To explore each other. To feel each other. Time to celebrate.

With a new year comes new beginnings. This beginning is a lifetime in the making. Now it’ll last a lifetime, too.

**Author's Note:**

> Quote Prompt: "This should help to warm your hands up."


End file.
